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What do you think is the most effective way to turn this idea into real policy? Add your suggestions here for how you think we should run an advocacy campaign to advance the idea – including the overall strategy, messaging, targets, and tactics.

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  1. Martine Torres-Aponte

    Let's do it now!  I agree with the Center for Ecoliteracy that the most effective way to get healthier meals into our schools is by incorporating them into the curriculum.  The Center offers a full curriculum model for using the growing of food and the planning and preparing of meals as contexts within which to teach a wide array of subjects from botany to history, from health to economics.  This curriculum model could be easily phased into our schools, beginning in high schools and working down in order to provide teaching and mentoring opportunities for students as well.  Check it out at:  http://www.ecoliteracy.org

    Suggested by Martine Torres-Aponte on 01/17/2009 @ 11:45AM PT

  2. Judy Pokras

    Studies have shown that cooked animal-origin foods--anything made from meat, dairy and fish--cause aging and chronic disease.  The studies also show that heating ANY foods over 118 degrees Fahrenheit (especially baking, frying and grilling) causes chemical changes in those foods that leads to chronic disease and aging. For the health of our children and everyone else, it is therefore urgent that we feed children raw vegan meals. This doesn't mean rabbit food!  There's a burgeoning raw vegan cuisine, food that is delicious and fabulous. If you've never experienced this food, check out Quintessence, Pure Food and Wine and Bonobo's restaurants in New York City, and Cafe Gratitude in the San Francisco Bay area.  There are many other such restaurants throughout the US, and more on the way all the time. Roxanne's Fine Foods distributes lots of excellent raw vegan products on the US West Coast.  There are raw food potluck groups everywhere. You can find some of them at meetup.com, and in a google search.

    Judy Pokras
    editor/founder
    RawFoodsNewsMagazine.com
    Celebrating the raw vegan lifestyle online since 2001 with breaking news, authoritatifve info and fun features.

    Suggested by Judy Pokras on 01/17/2009 @ 10:50AM PT

  3. susann moeller

    I cannot believe that parents let their children eat most of the school cafeteria fare.  But then again, kids and their parents have been conditioned for decades now to crave junk food and consume everything, including food, in excess - that a change in dietary choices in a public place is a no-brainer and may break this cycle of "trash food addiction."

    Suggested by susann moeller on 01/17/2009 @ 10:33AM PT

  4. We can put wind into the sails of this idea by individually sending it to members of Congress and our Senators.  Someone could CAREFULLY craft this as a Care2.com action, and we could automatically send letters.

    Further, the industries standing to benefit are produce growers and maybe the growers of grains and beans (legumes) for human consumption.

    Finally, local vegetarian (not animal rights, but vegetarian and vegan) groups could do WELL by having group projects throguh which they can organize their memberships, constituencies, interested persons tangential to their communities. 

    Energizing local vegetarian societies would be wonderful for us vegetarians, and we could learn how to get something done as a community.

    Ever hear the phrase, "Yes, we can!" ??

    Suggested by Maynard Clark on 01/17/2009 @ 08:06AM PT

  5. Jason Clark

    I'm glad to see the level of support in the above comments, but there is a general lack of suggestions here, with a couple of exceptions.  This is a huge undertaking since the school lunch program has strong support from the milk industry and other groups who do not care about healthy food options.  In order to build a campaign of this magnitude, I would make three major suggestions.  First, do not use a message that could put people on the defensive.  I agree that a vegan diet is definitely healthier, but I would not use vegan in a national campaign to change a public school issue.  I think using a word like "healthy" or a concept like "Reduce, Refine, Replace", used by HSUS, would be more effective.  Second, I would try to develop a working relationship with other groups with similar goals or campaigns like HSUS or PETA.  Every campaign may have a different message, but the goals are the same.  Not every message will appeal to everyone.  Third, I would focus on small victories.  When we are talking about the national school lunch program, a small victory would have a huge effect on the health of the kids and the lives of animals.  For example, imagine if soy, rice, or almond milk was offered and promoted as an option with lunch.  What if students could chose between a cow burger and a boca burger?  The process has to start somewhere.

    Someone made the suggestion of revamping the nutritional guidelines.  I agree.  Thirty percent of calories from fat is quite excessive.  A revamping of the guidelines will not necessarily lead to vegan food options though.

    Suggested by Jason Clark on 01/17/2009 @ 07:11AM PT

  6. Dan Vo

    This is the right way.  To save our future children and planet, we must do it now or else it's too late.

    Suggested by Dan Vo on 01/16/2009 @ 07:18PM PT

  7. Laura Lemon

    Did anyone else notice that change.gov changed the title from Vegan School Lunch Options to Healthy School Lunch Options.  Is VEGAN too strong of a statement?!?!  People do not understand the word HEALTHY> some people would argue that Diet Coke and Fat Free Mac and Cheese for lunch is healthy?!?! I know Vegan seems like an extreme idea and all but WAKE UP- people are dying and eliminating animal products from one's diet is the best, least expensive cure for the plague of lifestyle diseases in this country!
    Also- Legalizing marijuana was the NUMBER ONE vote.  Why did change.gov put them in random order? I guess Marijuana is too extreme as well.  Maybe this administration is all about "change"!!!

    Suggested by Laura Lemon on 01/16/2009 @ 05:54PM PT

  8. Mark Feldman

    There is OVERWHELMING evidence that the food (if you can classify it as food) being served in the schools is NOT healthy.

    Common entrees include chicken nuggets, pizza, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs.  Its no wonder that so many school children are overweight, suffer from obesiity diabetes, hypertension, other chronic conditions, and food poisoning as well.

    Schools to NOW implement towards ORGANIC balanced nutritional meals without emphasizing the common entrees of fried foods, heavy fat, cholesteral laden products that make up most all of the school program lunches. Vegetarian and some Vegan items can be provided with veggie dogs, veggie burgers, non-dairy milk products, pizza's and many others as well as tasty desserts!

    CHANGE THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM NOW!

    Suggested by Mark Feldman on 01/16/2009 @ 01:27PM PT

  9. Sophie Franke

    School is the perfect place to teach our children how to eat healthy. We pack our 15 year old grandson's lunch daily.  The food is horrible and most folks either do not care or uneducated.
    Sophie Franke

    Suggested by Sophie Franke on 01/16/2009 @ 10:24AM PT

  10. May Chen

    I think changing our diet to benifit our health ,enviriment,and even the whole planet is simple and very efficient.And the fast way to do so is to become vagetirient .
    That taking food without any annimal product is the best way . 
    I hope the presidient will take the suggestion into consideration.
       philippe
        

    Suggested by May Chen on 01/16/2009 @ 08:58AM PT

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